Each turn, every players receives two actions. They cannot use the same skills for more than one action per turn, and the actions are simultaneous.
For each point of skill used, a player may designate an additional effect. In the case of actions with mundane effects, such as gathering food, this tends to simply increase the quantity produced or processed. For more elaborate actions, this tends to apply additional qualities to the effect or product.
Supporting skills may be used where appropriate, adding their magnitude to the action. Note that too many or conflicting supporting skills may produce odd results.
In the example above, our noble wizard is attempting two actions: Raising a moss zombie and performing a flaming seduction dance.
Since he has +3 Necromancy and +1 Herbalism, he uses his Necromancy skill to raise a zombie: One point goes towards the base effect, one towards giving it a tougher hide, and one towards making it sing constantly. The one point in Herbalism is used to grant it a mossy, regenerating hide, which hopefully won't interfere with the tough hide.
He meanwhile uses his +1 Seduction to seduce a (hopefully living) target. His +2 Pyromancy further provides for warming him up, which he has heard is attractive to potential mates, and creating a flaming corona around his head in mimicry of loud birds. Since flame is not inherently seductive, it remains to be seen how directly these effects add to his attempts to seduce a target. Also, he's calling a rotting corpse up from the ground at the same time, so that might impact things.
On rolling a [1], [5], or [6], you gain a point of Passion in the skill being used. Passion may be spent to add special effects to actions, which would not normally be achievable.
Each time Passion is spent this way, you have a chance to level the skill equal to the spent passion divided by the total passion. Spending maximum Passion always levels the skill, spending 1 point has a 1/3 chance of increasing +3 Necromancy to +4 Necromancy, and so on.
Rolling a [1][5][6] on a Passion action additionally grants (and/or inflicts) a special trait on you based on the action and roll. These traits are generally unique and terrible manifestations of your obsessions with unstable arcane power, such as the ability to see emotions or plantlike flesh. Wusses using mundane skills tend to just become charismatic or better warriors or something. Or gain the ability to gain strength from feasting on the hearts of their enemies.
In any case, more Passion produces stronger traits, and existing traits will sometimes be strengthened by a trait-producing action, rather than a new trait being formed.
In our above example, our noble wizard is trying to create a flaming skeleton using +3 Necromancy, +2 Pyromancy, and one of his Passion points in Necromancy. As before, each point produces a new quality: +3 Necromancy gives us a skeleton, increases its strength and increases its speed. +2 Pyromancy makes it flaming, and then lets it belch these flames forth. The Necromancy Passion point lets it feast upon the essence of the living, increasing its own power.
If he rolls a [1], [5], or [6] on this action, he will gain a new trait relevant to his current endeavor; perhaps the ability to feast upon life force himself, or a knack for creating souldrinking horrors, or particularly copious and delicious life essence that the ravening dead find just irresistable. Since he only spent one Passion on this action, it will not be an overly strong trait, but it should be impactful.